WERNICKE ENCEPHALOPATHY COMPLICATING GASTRECTOMY IN A PATIENT WITH A HISTORY OF GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is a severe neurologic disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, characterized by ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, nystagmus, and mental confusion. It is typically seen in alcoholics. On imaging, it is commonly seen on MRI as areas of symmetrical increased T2/FLAIR signal involving the mammillary bodies, dorsomedial thalami, tectal plate, periaqueductal area, and around the third ventricle. The early treatmentavoids the installation of a korsakoffpsychosis. We report a case of a patient of 57 years old without a history of alcohol abuse, who developed Wernicke syndrome 6 months after undergoing gastrectomy for gastricadenocarcinoma.